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When Tara Sherry-Torres sees the green box on her doorstep, she smiles.
“It just brings me joy,” the Swissvale resident said, referring to the containers of fresh food that arrive weekly. “We get the box, and it’s a way for my daughter and I to cook and entertain, ourselves.”
She and Nayara Torres-Ware, 3½, often combine the ingredients into a homemade meal, courtesy of the online grocery service Harvie, a nickname for Harvest. The service collaborates with many local farmers and businesses to bring fresh food, and even real flowers, to customers.
Sherry-Torres was searching for new meal delivery choices and discovered Harvie, based in Lawrenceville. It became a comfort during the pandemic and has continued to be a positive experience.
There are three plans: Basic, Harvie Green and Gold. All have a minimum purchase of $35.
Customers select a plan and choose items from a vast selection of products, which will be delivered to their homes each week. Members can skip any week for no additional fee.
The contents of the box are customizable, from fruits and vegetables to bread, milk, fruit, pastas and pantry staples. Members leave previous weeks’ boxes outside to be reused.
Sherry-Torres said the customer service is excellent. If something isn’t right, it is fixed immediately.
On a recent Wednesday morning, boxes were being filled to go out that day. Via an assembly line, employees begin by placing a liner and ice packs into each container. Items are layered by weight so as not to crush anything.
The boxes are recognizable from the logo inside a green square, representing fresh and locally-sourced.
Harvie founder and CEO Simon Huntley said he emphasizes small and local producers and products made with sustainable practices. He collaborates with 100 to 150 producers and has more than 500 products available weekly, and he continually searches additional products.
Customers receive an email with a preview of available items so they can order. Their credit card is charged at the end of their shopping window.
“I wanted to come up with a way to get local food to people,” Huntley said. “You have to eat, so why not have good, healthy food and have it brought to your door. That gets people what they want, and it’s simple and easy.”
He said an average of 60 cents on a dollar goes back to the farmer, and in 2021, Harvie put more than 1.8 million grocery dollars directly into the hands of more than 211 local and regional small farms and artisans.
Last year, Harvie and supported and tried over 1,392 different products, from beef, poultry and fish to fruits and vegetables to spices, condiments, nuts, pasta and dairy.
“We do our best to satisfy everyone,” Huntley said.
The well-known Oram’s Donuts from Beaver Falls are available once a month. Products are offered from companies including Commonplace Coffee of Indiana, Pa.; La Prima Espresso Co., based in Pittsburgh’s North Side; Barmy Soda Co. in the East End; Wild Rise Bakery in Homewood; Ocho Salsa in Ben Avon; and the Pickled Chef in Latrobe.
Harvie has 2,500 members, mostly in Allegheny County. The warehouse is 4,000 square feet, and Huntley is looking to expand the business to a larger space.
Inventory is organized by product. Employees begin packing at 7 a.m. and are usually finished by noon.
Orders are routed by geographic area. Deliveries are Tuesday through Friday and determined by zip codes. Customers receive a text when their box has arrived.
Calvin McKinney of Springdale handles delivery operations. He said the average is 40 to 60 deliveries a day.
“It’s a positive environment to work in, a nice work culture,” he said. “They listen to us. They are responsive to employees.”
Most inventory is turned over twice a week. Harvie donates leftovers to 412 Food Rescue.
Huntley, who lives in Point Breeze, grew up on a Greene County farm, where his parents raised sheep and hay. They worked full-time jobs, so they weren’t able to conduct their agriculture business on a large scale.
At Penn State, Huntley earned a degree in information sciences technology with a minor in agriculture business. His company began in 2006 as an agriculture technology business tool for farmers. In 2015, he decided to look at ways to grow the market for local food and give people what they want.
“I have always been interested in farming and the way we use the land for food,” he said. “We have all high-quality products. I believe this is a new concept – no one else is doing a full grocery.
“It is important to put good food in your body. You are going to buy food, so why not spend it on local farmers and companies? It’s a mission-oriented business. I see this as my life’s work.”
Harvie began on March 14, 2020. The covid-19 pandemic was just starting, and Huntley found himself delivering the food.
The business has grown through referrals and via social media. Harvie has had booths at farmers’ markets and has a strong following on Facebook, where customers share meal ideas.
”Food is what connects us,” Huntley said. “It doesn’t divide us. It’s about breaking bread and sharing a meal.”
Harvie is partnering with East End Brewing Co. in Larimer for “The Taste of Harvie Block Party” from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday at East End Brewing. Harvie will showcase 20 food vendors in an outdoor market along Julius Street.
The market is free. A $10 donation is suggested. Register here.
A beer-and-cheese pairing offered during the event is sold out.
Huntley wanted to be part of the block party so customers can meet vendors from whom they get food, such as Heather Knepper, owner of Ocho Salsa.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to get fresh salsa to customers,” she said. “Have some salsa and chips, and create memories.”
Scott Smith, owner of East End Brewing, said the partnership with Harvie for the block party is a great idea.
“Harvie is all about local food,” Smith said. “And the food is wonderful. It’s pretty easy. You just choose what you want and have it brought to your door.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062, jharrop@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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